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Joe Kitsch is the alias, or brush name, for a conceptually-oriented pop artist. Image is a matter of editing. A person will formulate their image to others all the time whether they realize it or not; Joe Kitsch wants to be up front about his emulation as an artist. The name says it all... "Joe" is a slightly above average kind of guy. Although it does not beat the name "John," which is the most popular in name usage and commonality, "Joe" has an almost higher standard associated with it. "Johns" are referred to as patrons of prostitutes and "John Doe" is the name of a deceased person who cannot be identified. "Joe," on the other hand, has better associations. There's "G.I. Joe," an all-American Hero, and, better known to his immediate family and closest friends as Joe, there's Joseph, professional carpenter and step-father of Jesus Christ. (Does it get any better than that?) As its lowest reference, there's "Joe Schmoe," just a schleppy guy. "Kitsch" is pretentious bad taste, especially in the arts, or something that exemplifies kitsch. Come to think of it, on some level ALL ART IS KITSCH. The thing that makes a distinction within itself is quality; what makes some kitsch better than other kitsch is what one puts into it, mentally and physically. To further this idea, kitsch is not unlike people. With people, there are sociological distinctions, such as race and gender. Strip that all away and the only thing left is human beings. The distinction between people, like kitsch, is their qualities. Joe Kitsch makes object oriented art, such as paintings and sculptures, in a wide variety of media. He appropriates and uses the language of Eclectic Post-Modernism. He feels a connection between the materials used to make the artwork and the image it produces have an important role in the final conveyed message. Art is the idea. Too much emphasis is placed on the medium an artist is working with as THE focus. A medium is a tool, not the art. Although it is important to have a high quality finished product, the finished work is only an illustration of an idea the artist had. Abstract Expressionist painter, Robert Motherwell, once said the best thing an artist could do was represent a sense of reality. Joe Kitsch has been representing a sense of reality since 1999. He currently resides in the greater Boston area and is actively showing throughout New England. He shows his latest work on his web site (www.JoeKitsch.com) and maintains a blog, www.joekitsch.blogspot.com. The artist explores issues of identity, being and social perception. Although he realizes his work will not make the world a better place, through it he could at least try to spread some love around.
b. March 26, 1975
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2007
Everyday Extraordinary, Taber Art Gallery, Holyoke, MA
2003
Eye Candy, John Bryan Gallery, Farmington, CT
2001
LOOK! It’s Joe Kitsch… Hartford Art School, W. Hartford, CT
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2008
Unsuitable Content, Atlantic Works, East Boston, MA
Summer Party, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Northeast Prize Show, juried by Nicholas Baume, Cambridge Art Association, Cambridge, MA
SoWa Art Walk, Boston, MA
Brookline Artists Open Studios, Brookline, MA
Black & White & Shades of Gray, Rich Girl Records, Lawrence, MA
Big Show, Brookline Town Library, Brookline, MA
aTTempted GaLLery, Brookline Arts Center, Brookline, MA
2007
Slide Archive and Library, Journal of Aesthetics & Protest, Los Angeles, CA
Participating Artist, Learning to Love You More, Oakland, CA
USEA Open Studios, Boston, MA
3rd Annual Open Juried Show, juried by Bill Arning, Housatonic Museum of Art, Bridgeport, CT
Summer Party, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
New Art ’07, juried by Nato Thompson, Kingston Gallery, Boston, MA
SoWa Art Walk, Boston, MA
Inner Life, Gallery 1581, Brookline, MA
Brookline Artists Open Studios, Brookline, MA
Art Party, Brookline Arts Center, Brookline, MA
Laugh, juried by Mark Luiggi, Arsenal Center for the Arts, Watertown, MA
Big Show, Brookline Town Library, Brookline, MA
2006
Dioramas and Hand Turkeys, Pirate Gallery, Boston, MA
USEA Open Studios, Boston, MA
Present Tense, juried by Heidi Marston, artspace@16, Malden, MA
SoWa Art Walk, Boston, MA
Tri-County Regional Vocational High School Fund Raiser, Boston, MA
1000 Words, Gallery 1581, Brookline, MA
5 Senses Show, Pirate Gallery, Boston, MA
aTTempted GaLLery, Brookline Arts Center, Brookline, MA
2005
Tri-County Regional Vocational High School Fund Raiser, Boston, MA
SoWa Art Walk, Boston, MA
Holiday Show, Bromfield Gallery, Boston, MA
Human Pixel Project, Peter Smuts’ Human Pixel Project, Boston, MA
Flights of Fancy: Artists Made Kites, Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA
2004
Featured Artist, Charity Gallery, Cambridge, MA
SoWa Art Walk, Boston, MA
Art and Soul, Charity Gallery, Boston, MA
Fragmentation Through Process, Agora Gallery, New York, NY
Underground Artist, www.getunderground.com
Footwear Project, www.ofhumaninterest.com
2003
Small World, New City Art, Easthampton, MA
The Square Show, Ceres Gallery, New York, NY
Corpus Colosum, Artworks Gallery, Hartford, CT
Group Show 27, Artworks Gallery, Hartford, CT
New Members Show, Artworks Gallery, Hartford, CT
Spring Salon, Limner Gallery, New York, NY
2002
Celebrating Creative Community, Artworks Gallery, Hartford, CT
Open Juried Summertime Show, Artworks Gallery, Hartford, CT (AWARD- 2nd in Show)
Group Show 26, Artworks Gallery, Hartford, CT
Art for a Song, Artworks Gallery, Hartford, CT
2001
Alexander A. Goldfarb Juried Exhibition, Joseloff Gallery, W. Hartford, CT
Works in Progress, Hartford Art School, W. Hartford, CT
2000
Alexander A. Goldfarb Juried Exhibition, Joseloff Gallery, W. Hartford, CT
1999
Works in Progress, Hartford Art School, W. Hartford, CT
12x12, Joseloff Gallery, W. Hartford, CT
1997
Two Painters, Hartford Art School, W. Hartford, CT
Heart and Soul, 1877 Club, W. Hartford, CT
Alexander A. Goldfarb Juried Exhibition, Joseloff Gallery, W. Hartford, CT
1996
Abstract Painters, Lincoln Theater, W. Hartford, CT
Alexander A. Goldfarb Juried Exhibition, Joseloff Gallery, W. Hartford, CT
PUBLICATIONS
“Fuzzy Logic: Down the Rabbit Hole,” by Laura Dargus, Weekly Dig, vol.
“Defend Yourself!” by Alyssa Voorhis, Weekly Dig, vol. 9, issue 44, October 31- November 7, 2007.
“The Soft Shock of the New” by Greg Cook, The Boston Phoenix, vol. XXXVI, no. 29, July 20, 2007.
New Art International, Vol. IX, p. 39, 2005.
CURATORIAL WORK
2008
Lauren Zettler’s Call Me Out (Record Release Party), The Art Kitsch(en), Boston, MA
The Side Stage Art Show, The Great Boston Burlesque Expo, Cambridge, MA
Fuzzy Logic, The Art Kitsch(en), Boston, MA
Love, Sex & Chocolate, The Art Kitsch(en), Boston, MA
2007
Battle Royale!, juried by the public, The Art Kitsch(en), Boston, MA
Look and Listen: a night of spoken word & word art, The Art Kitsch(en), Boston, MA
2006
Dioramas and Hand Turkeys, co-curator, Pirate Gallery, Boston, MA
5 Senses Show, co-curator, Pirate Gallery, Boston, MA
SPECIAL FEATURES
Album art for “Call Me Out” by Lauren Zettler (2008)
Album art for “Liquid” by Slow Motion Driver (2007)
Guest speaker for “Appropriation and Tragedy in a Post-Modern Society,” Research Writing, Emerson College, Boston, MA (2007, 2008)
Member of Atlantic Works in East Boston (2008-present)
Member of Artworks Gallery in Hartford, CT (2002-03)
EDUCATION
2001
M.F.A. Studio Arts, Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, W. Hartford, CT
1997
M.F.A. program, Hunter College, New York, NY
B.F.A. Painting, Magna cum Laude, Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, W. Hartford, CT
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